Michelle Obama Opens Up About the Racism She Endured as First Lady. It’s Heartbreaking

She became the first black First Lady of the United States, who has since empowered countless women to fight for their rights.

But during her time in the White House, Michelle Obama still sadly endured racist remarks, she has now revealed. Speaking at the Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s 30th anniversary celebration in Denver this week, the mother-of-two said she was called an “ape in heels” and was told she had a “gorilla face” by government officials.

According to Denver Post, she revealed: “The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut. Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won’t see me for what I am because of my skin colour.” She added: “Women, we endure those cuts in so many ways that we don’t even notice we’re cut. We are living with small tiny cuts, and we are bleeding every single day. And we’re still getting up.”

Michelle, who shares daughters Sasha and Malia with Barack Obama, told the audience that the best way to empower girls is from a young age and through education. “If we want girls in STEM, we need to rethink how we deliver education,” the 53-year-old explained. “Teachers, a kind word can mean the world to a young girl.” Following Donald Trump‘s inauguration in January, the former US President and First Lady have been enjoying some time away from the spotlight.